Virtually everyone I know is dreading winter because of the extortionate energy bills that will come through the door in the spring. There are ways of cutting the amount of energy you use through the winter though and when used as a plan they can save you a decent amount of money. Below are ten good energy-saving tips to help get you started.

1. Have your boiler serviced during late autumn so that it is running efficiently for the start of the winter. This can also identify any problems that may arise when it’s being used day in and day out.
2. Bleed your radiators so that they warm your house as efficiently as they possibly can. If you have unused rooms in your house then you might want to manually turn the radiator off and keep the door of the room closed.
3. Draught-proof your external windows and doors to stop cold air coming in and warm air going out. This is an easy DIY job and all you need is some quite inexpensive weather strips and maybe a tube of caulk. You may also want to use good old fashioned draught excluders at the foot of your doors.
4. Turn your thermostat down by a degree or two and wear an extra jumper! A single degree can save up to 5% on your energy usage which can in turn save a good few pounds each month.
5. Insulate your loft and walls if you can afford it. There are government grants available to help with costs in most homes. In fact, many people can get full insulation for free if they receive specific benefits, and even if you don’t you can still save around 70% on the normal price.
6. Some say that keeping your home at a constant temperature of about 68 degrees costs less than letting your home go cold during the day or through the night and then turning your boiler up to re-warm to a comfortable temperature. This idea is often debated by gas engineers so please don’t take it as gospel.
7. Switch off any lights when they are not being used as light bulbs can use a fair amount of energy without you realising it. As an additional point you might want to think about using energy efficient bulbs as they are often less than £1 each now.
8. Have showers instead of baths whenever you can, especially if you have a shower that heats the water itself and doesn’t involve the boiler. It has been estimated that a family of four can save up to £90 per year by taking showers instead of baths.
9. Check online to see if you can save money by changing to a different energy supplier. Some may offer the same prices but will guarantee a price freeze for the next few years – which will save you in the long run.
10. If all else fails, visit as many of your friends and relatives as you possibly can each evening and make use of their energy instead of your own!

Guest Article by Clare Lynock

See also: Top Ten Tips for Saving Energy Around the Home